New Releases by Pat McKissack

Messy Bessey learns a lesson about sharing when she cleans out her closet.

Highlights the life of this great man, who went from being a slave to a teacher and an American icon.

"Tell the truth and shame the devil," Libby''s mama has told her. So whatever is Libby doing wrong? Ever since she started telling only the truth, the whole world seems to be mad at her. First it''s her best friend, Ruthie Mae, who gets upset when Libby tells all their friends that Ruthie Mae has a hole in her sock. Then Willie gives her an ugly look when she tells the teacher he hasn''t done his homework. It seems that telling the truth isn''t always so simple. Children will sympathize with Libby as she struggles to figure out that even though it''s always wrong to tell a lie, there''s a right and a wrong way to tell the truth. Giselle Potter''s naively stubborn illustrations perfectly capture this humorous and poignant story by award-winning author Patricia C. McKissack.

Simple text and illustrations of a variety of insects introduce the numbers one through five.

With only five more days of school remaining before summer vacation, nine-year-old Miami still faces several hurdles, such as how to get along with Destinee Tate, his nemesis.

Eleven-year-old Nellie Lee Love records in her diary the events of 1919, when her family moves from Tennessee to Chicago, hoping to leave the racism and hatred of the South behind.

Bessey finally cleans up her messy room.

Bessey and her mother bake cookies for Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah, and after cleaning up the kitchen, they distribute the treats to their neighbors.

Collects the true stories of brave African American rebels who fought against slavery, from Cinque, who pleaded his case before the Supreme Court, to Nat Turner, who led one of the greatest revolts in history.

A history of African-American whalers between 1730 and 1880, describing their contributions to the whaling industry and their role in the abolitionist movement.

In a triumphant celebration of the human spirit, here are 12 favorites from the Old Testament. Each breathtaking illustration adds exquisite clarity. Full-color illustrations.

When Messy Bessey starts to clean up her desk at school, she inspires the rest of the class to clean up the entire room.

A biography of the black playwright who received great recognition for her work at an early age.

A fun and engaging way for young children to figure out concepts and solving problems on his or her own. Rookie Readers (Ages 5-7) have provided entertaining, high-quality introductions to reading for more than a generation. Each title features full-color, often hilarious illustrations and engaging stories that always involve a young child figuring out concepts or solving problems on his or her own. Messy Bessey shows herself to be a true friend and a good guest when she helps to clean up after a messy birthday sleepover.

When Messy Bessey starts to clean up her desk at school, she inspires the rest of the class to clean up the entire room.

In 1886 in Alabama, an eleven-year-old African American girl and her family befriend and give refuge to a runaway Apache boy.

The adventures of a kind-hearted doctor, who is fond of animals and understands their language, as he travels to Africa with some of his favorite pets to cure the monkeys of a terrible sickness.

A history of African American pilots with a focus on World War II.

Traces the history of baseball in the Negro Leagues and its great heroes, including Monte Irwin, Buck Leonard, and Cool Papa Bell.

Examines the civilizations of the Western Sudan which flourished from 700 to 1700 A.D., acquiring such vast wealth that they became centers of trade and culture for a continent.

The moving story of the courage and solidarity that helped shape the history of African Americans explains how the actions of the train workers fraternity helped change the way of labor and the civil rights movement in this country. Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award. Reprint.

The year is 1859, and it''s Christmastime on a Virginia Plantation. The slaves are cleaning and setting up the Big House--where their masters live--for the festivities. The Big House is filled with warmth, colorful decorations, and yummy food...but there is talk of war and a sense that times may be changing. In the quarters--where the slaves live--conditions are poor, dirty, and cold, but the slaves are filled with hope for better times ahead, and they sing songs of freedom.Moving deftly between two worlds, this beautifully illustrated book is a historical tale as well as a holiday treat.

An easy-to-read retelling of the traditional tale about the little red hen and her lazy friends.

Examines the lives and achievements of African-American scientists from colonial days to the present, including Benjamin Banneker, George Washington Carver, and several black astronauts.

Presents stories of remarkable men and women who have produced inventions that made major contributions to a wide range of fields.

Multimedia materials to assist students in the study of Flossie & the fox, a story about a wily fox who, upon meeting a bold little girl in the woods, must provide proof that he is a fox before she will be frightened.

During an outing on the mysterious Bayou Clapateaux, Hugh Thomas catches a million fish.

Satchel Paige was forty-two years old when he became the first African-American pitcher in the American League. His achievements ultimately won him a place in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

From the beginning of Reconstruction to the present, traces the struggle of blacks to gain their civil rights in America, with a brief comparison of their problems to those of other minorities.